Gaudium In Vertitate
by baby-rose15
Summary: Every TV replaying the footage over and over again. Flashing her picture, the same one they used when claiming she was a fugitive merely days before, running stories on her, her mother, and now disgraced presidential hopeful Senator Bracken alike.


**_Veritas. _That's really all I have to say. But anyway this is a little interest for the end of the episode that was niggling me. Enjoy.  
**

**If I owned _Castle_ it wouldn't be nearly as captivating. **

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**Gaudium In Vertitate**

_**Joy In Truth**_

They can't leave DC until later that night. Bracken was transferred to federal custody, election tampering, attempted murder, murder, money laundering, crossing state lines and breaking federal laws everywhere you look, plus it removes her from the equation. The FBI let her arrest him on national television and that was enough. She didn't really think of the implications through until they were waiting for the nine o'clock shuttle from National to LaGuardia and every TV in the little concourse is replaying the footage over and over again. Flashing her picture, the same one they used when claiming she was a fugitive merely days before, running stories on her, her mother, and _now disgraced presidential hopeful Senator Bracken_ alike. They don't have many details yet but with every hour there's a little more of her personal battle flashing on the screens as Diane Sawyer, Wolf Blitzer and everyone in between tries to get their piece of the story.

Her phone, Castle's, and the boys phones have been ringing off the hook since they put the bastard in the back of the car. Everything has been forwarded to the press office at One Police Plaza, Castle sent his publicist over there, he didn't want the story to get mixed up. It doesn't stop their photos showing up on every screen in the known universe. The TSA agents saluted her as she came through security, Ryan and Esposito returned it, she offered them a soft smile.

Now they're in the crowds of the concourse and she can see her face and Bracken's everywhere she turns, on TVs, on iPads. In the sports bar in the corner she can see someone trying to turn up the volume on the one TV that's running CNN. People are pointing and whispering, raising the volume of the usual airport hum noticeably. She wishes she'd listened to Castle and driven the six hours home, but at the time this had seemed simpler.

Rick senses her discomfort at being center stage at this particular moment. It's just been too much all day and it's not likely to get any better when they land in New York. Therefore, he sends Ryan and Esposito to get them all some coffee and donuts from the Dunkins in the middle and pulls her over to the counter. The gate agent see's them coming, eyes flicking from the screen above his head and back to her. He's made the connection, but he doesn't say anything just swallows calmly and asks if he can help. She lets Castle do the talking, he's the one that arranged this any way.

Turns out he just was wondering if there was somewhere remotely reclusive near the gate, and could they board last. The gate agent nods quickly tells them to stand behind the wall that his counter is in front of, it's out of line of sight for most people and near the gate so that they won't miss anything. There's a mother and her toddler back there, but with a quick glance the woman gathered up her child and leaves them the six feet of space.

Castle leans against the window and pulls her into his body, wrapping his arms firmly around her waist, pressing a kiss to her hair as she tucks her face into his neck, and just lets him hold her. Lets the buzz of the airport become nothing more than a hum and his woodsy cognac cologne wrap her up for just a minute, soothing her battered mind.

Ryan and Espo return with coffee soon enough, and she untangles herself from Castle to press a kiss to each of their cheeks in thanks. It doesn't feel adequate but it's the first chance she's had today to show them any sort of thanks. Ryan pulls her into a hug and that's when the tears first blur her eyes. Espo isn't going to miss his turn and so she get hugs from both her boys, and tears start to escape. Relief, joy, exhaustion, just sheer overwhelmed happiness running down her face when they start to board the plane. But Castle is pulling a handkerchief from his breast pocket and wiping away the tears, as they make their way down the jetway.

She doesn't know what Castle did to make it happen but they're in the front row of the plane, the cushy business class seats for the flight that's barely an hour. But they'll be able to get off first, and maybe if they're really lucky avoid any press that's awaiting their arrival. She needn't have worried though as the plane touches down in New York and makes its way to the terminal the captain makes an announcement asking everyone to remain seated for a few extra moments. She doesn't have a moment to wonder why before the flight attendant is asking them to deplane first.

The jetway is quiet and she tangles her fingers with Castle's anchoring herself to him as she listen to Ryan tell Jenny he's on the ground and should be home shortly. What she's not expecting is to come out in the terminal to find her dad and Captain waiting for them and what looks like every off duty officer in uniform in the city standing to salute her. It's a surreal moment to see the faces of so many that she works with, know her story and have always believed in her.

Castle slips away to stand with her dad, leaving her to stand facing her fellow officers and return the salute. She can feel the curious eyes of onlookers, and the recognition coming her way, crawling over her skin with little pin pricks. But it doesn't bother her now, the warmth and pride radiating off her brothers in arms, her Capitan, Castle, and her dad wash away any discomfort she has at being the center of attention. In that moment she does not regret one single thing in her entire life because it got her to this point and she has never been prouder to serve as an officer of the New York City Police Department. Bracken didn't make her, she made herself and these people were there for all of it.

She lifts her arm and holds the salute for just a moment, trying to express her gratitude in any way possible. When she relaxes, they all do, turning to her and filling the terminal with applause as her dad breaks ranks and wraps her in a hug, murmuring his love and pride into her ear.

They have an escort out of the airport, it almost feels like a parade, officers line all the hallways saluting her as they walk by. The sheer number of them and the lack of press when they clear the secured area make it clear that they're on duty and 1PP is doing everything to manage the story carefully. Patrol cars are waiting to take them home on the curb and she's never been more relieved to settle into the back of an unmarked as when the lights go on and they tear across the city to take her home and to the rest of her life.

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**That take down was everything that I could have hoped for when it came to that moment.**

**Let me know what you thought.**

**Babyrose**


End file.
